Mexico Supreme Court Orders Immediate Release of Juana Hilda González Lomelí After 19 Years in Wallace Case

The First Chamber of Mexico's Supreme Court of Justice (SCJN) has ordered the immediate and unconditional release of Juana Hilda González Lomelí, who had been imprisoned for nearly 19 years in connection with the high-profile Wallace case. González Lomelí was convicted and sentenced to 78 years in prison for the 2005 kidnapping and murder of Hugo Alberto Wallace Miranda, son of activist Isabel Miranda de Wallace. The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove her involvement and found that her confession was obtained under torture, violating her human rights and due process. The decision was supported by a majority of four votes to one.

The ruling also raises the possibility that other individuals implicated in the Wallace case could be released. González Lomelí, a former dancer with the group Clímax, was freed from the federal prison in Morelos. The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights welcomed the court's decision, emphasizing its importance for fair trial standards, presumption of innocence, and prohibition of torture. Despite her release, González Lomelí has not received compensation or a public apology. The case has drawn attention to judicial abuses and the need for reforms in Mexico's criminal justice system.